Program Operations Coordinator – Peace First

Reports to: Senior Program Manager

Works in Coordination with: Fellows-in-Residence, Director of Program Management, Finance and Operations Coordinator, Senior Director of Finance and Operations, Director of Program Design & Quality

Collaborates with: Technology Team

Organizational Overview

Peace First was founded in 1992 at Harvard University upon a simple idea: if we are going to solve the world’s greatest problems, we must support this generation of young people with the skills and commitments to solve problems by connecting across lines of difference with compassion, standing up for ideals and others with courage, and creating collaborative change.

Currently, there are 1.6 billion young people, ages 13-25, around the world. They care deeply about what’s going on, they have boundless ideas on how to solve injustices and are ready to act yet seldom are they asked by adults what they think or, better yet, supported in bringing their ideas to life. Few have access to tools, mentors, and resources to turn their insights into reality. This is the divide we bridge.

Peace First provides a blended digital design platform where young people can imagine and create powerful innovations to solve real problems in the world. In addition to digital design tools, we provide mentors, connections with young people from over 145 countries, and small start-up grants that start at $250 and scale up to $25,000 as youth scale their work. All of this takes place on the Peace First digital platform — the world’s largest marketplace for youth-led social change initiatives.

In order for us to achieve our long-term goal of supporting a movement of 2.5 million engaged, compassionate, and creative youth, Peace First launched in 2019 a $10 million Global Youth Investment Fund to provide the financial spark to support efforts for social change. It will be the single largest investment in youth social action… ever.

A key element of our strategic plan is to build out our team of talented professionals. We actively recruit, retain, and develop a multicultural and dynamic workforce that effectively and efficiently meets the wide spectrum of young people’s needs across the globe. We believe that an inclusive and open environment fosters creativity, contributes to the quality of our work, and provides growth opportunities for all employees. To that end, we are seeking individuals who are excited about fostering this inclusive culture and working in an entrepreneurial environment where there is an immediate opportunity to have a tangible impact on organizational direction and achievement. We are a team-based around the world who thrive in an environment that embodies and celebrates the following:

● Possession of a deep belief in the ability of young people to create change and an interest in fundraising in partnership with young leaders

● Ability to adapt and apply skills to new and changing scopes of work

● Eagerness for more responsibility and exposure to new challenges

● Motivation to solve problems by taking initiative and trying new ways of doing things

● Enthusiasm for connecting others to our mission and providing them with powerful
experiences

● Openness to working with others across diverse perspectives and backgrounds

Position Overview

The Program Operations Coordinator is a part-time position and supports the Program Team to deliver effective support to youth social change leaders around the world. Through consistent and accurate administration of our grant management and reporting systems, clear and timely communication with young people, and responsive, detail-oriented support for various administrative needs within the Program Team, the Coordinator will make sure our team and the young people we serve have the information and resources they need, when they need it, making a critical contribution to the success and impact of our programs.

The ideal candidate for this role will have 2-3 years of full-time administrative and operations experience, ideally in a nonprofit or youth development context. They will be passionate about Peace First’s mission of creating a just and peaceful world by empowering young people to lead projects that resolve injustice in their communities.

Eligible Countries: Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda.

Responsibilities

50%: Grantee Compliance and Fraud Prevention

● Support Fellows-in-Residence in screening potential grantees by reviewing IDs and reference letters and helping to process grantees through the Verification and Coaching process.

● Maintain reminder systems to inform grantees of approaching report deadlines and follow up with grantees with overdue reports.

● Support the Fellows-in-Residence and Finance and Operations Coordinator to make sure grant distribution tracking systems are up to date.

25%: Manage Reflection Process

● Managing our Reflection collection process for all grantees, that involves direct communication with grantees to ensure they are keeping timely manner to submit their projects’ reflection.

● On a weekly basis, keep track of project completion on the platform and update that on the reflection tracking system.

25%: Program Team Administrative Projects

● In collaboration with the Senior Program Manager and Director of Programs, create and maintain document archiving and data management systems to help ensure complete and accurate access to information.

● Other minor projects as assigned.

Finally, the Coordinator will also be trained to provide feedback on young people’s projects and be asked to assist with feedback during peak periods.

Key Skills and Experience

We understand that there are many paths to acquiring experience and therefore welcome candidates from diverse and nontraditional backgrounds for this role who have demonstrated equivalent transferable skills to carry out the major duties outlined in this job description.

Required Skills/Experience include:

● 2-3 years of full-time administrative and operations experience, ideally in a nonprofit or youth development context

● Strong Microsoft Excel and/or Google sheet skills required, including knowledge of Google Forms

● Experience entering and reviewing data for accuracy

● Experience creating and managing administrative/operations systems

● High attention to detail, exceptionally accurate in their work

● Self-starter, works well independently and can complete tasks thoroughly and accurately with minimal supervision

● Strong analytical and critical thinking skills; demonstrated ability to organize and synthesize large datasets and to use data to identify patterns and challenges and formulate solutions.

● Strong curiosity; demonstrated drive to master new skills, and systems

● Ability to be flexible in a start-up environment where tasks and projects change quickly

● Ability to quickly learn technology and navigate it

● Written and spoken fluency in English, including strong ability to communicate complex concepts in English to young people from a variety of different backgrounds, and to quickly and accurately respond to a high volume of e-mail

Bonus Skills include:

● Proficiency in Arabic, Spanish, and/or French
● Transferable experience implementing programs that provide support to young people
● Experience working collaboratively with finance/accounting teams, micro-granting experience specifically a plus
● Experience with fraud prevention and investigation
● Experience working with tech-based organizations
All members of our team, regardless of role, should have these qualities and experience:
● Commitment to contributing to an overall organizational culture that is inquisitive,
youth-centered, caring, and fun
● Belief in and leading with Peace First’s core values of courage, compassion, and collaboration
● Commitment to supporting young people as they change the world for the better through peacemaking
● Capacity to integrate into all functional areas while autonomously leading one’s work
● Proficiency in Google Applications and Microsoft Office Suite

Compensation and Benefits

This is a part-time (20 hours/week) position based in Nigeria, Kenya or Uganda. Rate is competitive based on experience and local market.

Start Date / Location

Immediately. Remote position. Due to the locations of the work needed, candidates in Nigeria, Kenya or Uganda are encouraged to apply.

Application Instructions

To be considered for this position, you must meet the minimum requirements. Due to the large volume of applicants, we kindly ask that you do not reach out to the team. Rest assured, we are reviewing each application and will be in touch with candidates invited to interview.

Feel that you have the skills and experience we are looking for? Apply here!

Equal Opportunity Employment

Peace First is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, age, ancestry, or disability.

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